POWER SCHOLARS ACADEMY

Students can lose two to three months of academic gain during the summer, causing many children to begin the school year behind their peers.

YMCA of Central Virginia’s Power Scholars Academy aims to reduce summer learning loss typically experienced by school-aged children, particularly those who live in under-served areas.

The five-week program, which is offered to students at no cost, focuses on math, literacy, and STREAM learning and incorporates social and emotional learning throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, and a snack are provided, as well as enrichment programs such as visual arts, water safety, and physical wellness.

Kids who participate in Power Scholars Academy are returning to school two to three and a half months ahead of their peers! This past summer, we served 858 kids in partnership with Lynchburg City Schools and Amherst County Schools.

In just six weeks, I witnessed literacy and math scores grow over 2+ months’ worth; for some students, their scores doubled. Students who previously struggled with comprehension were now reading independently and fluently, writing stories, and using essential vocabulary to analyze texts.

I could say so much about the Power Scholars program and the change it’s made for our students, but I believe one-second grader asked me the fundamental question that sums up the entirety of the program.

“Mrs. Burks, can I read my book to you?” I nodded my head, sat beside the student, and listened intently as the Scholar gained Power.

William Spencer Betts

Jacqueline J. Bibby

Joseph J. Bird